Nine Nurburgring Kings

Nine record-harassing heavyweights of the Nurburgring Nordschleife

1. LAMBORGHINI HURACAN PERFORMANTE
Lamborghini’s latest Huracan rewrote the ’Ring’s history books with a storming 6:52.01. Trick active aero is its secret, helping it humble Porsche’s 918 Spyder to become the fastest-ever production car.

2. LAMBORGHINI AVENTADOR SV
Before its Performante lapped the ’Ring, Lamborghini went after the production car record with its Aventador. The LP750-4 SV proved there’s life in the old girl yet when its mammoth V12 fired it around the track in a hypercar-scaring 6:59.7sec.

3. NEXTEV NIO EP9
Electric power proves shockingly fast in hybrid applications, but start-up brand NIO shows its outright potential with its EP9. The quad-motor 1000kW two-door whooshed on to a 7:05.1sec lap last year. All six to be built have already sold.

4. NISSAN GT-R NISMO
Nissan seems to tear chunks from the GT-R’s first 7:26.7 lap with every new variant. The Nismo marks the latest assault on the lap, and used a sharper aero package and uprated V6, with 441kW, to set a blistering 7:08.7 in 2014.

5. MERCEDES-AMG GT R
If Porsche has its 911 GT3, Mercedes-AMG has its GT R. AMG also injects tech from its GT3 racer into the GT flagship, which helped the 430kW hot-rod set alight the Nordschleife with a 7:10.9sec lap in the hands of German mag Sport Auto.

6. PORSCHE 911 GT3 RS
Is it a surprise Porsche’s rawest 911 – with a 368kW 4.0-litre flat-six, racecar wing, and 918 Spyder-sized rear tyres – cuts the ’Ring apart in a staggering 7m20s? Not really. But it is surprising to hear that the Turbo S can apparently go 2.0sec quicker again.

7. BMW M4 GTS
When BMW’s M division slapped the M4 with a GTS badge it created a weapon; part bare-bones club racer, part tuned missile. In effect its 368kW, water-injected six hurls the lightened M4 around the ’Ring in 7:27.8sec – BMW’s fastest time.

8. CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1
The Nordschleife’s legend is obvious if Chevrolet, which hails from the land of burger rings, feels the need to set a time. Its Camaro ZL1 bullied a 7:29.6sec out of the track, the 6.2-litre blown V8 coupe honing in on the Nissan GT-R’s first attempt in 2008.

9. ALFA ROMEO GIULIA QV
Alfa thought its Giulia QV was the fastest around the Nurburgring, until Porsche’s new Panamera came along. So it returned with another QV, using an auto, and extracted a 7:32 – making the 375kW V6 the fastest sedan around the ’Ring yet.